A Bump In The Night
by Aliyah Sark
Summary: What happens when he comes to her in the middle of the night. Total BABE
1. Chapter 1

I don't own them... I just write about them.

Ranger fiddled with the lock, was he losing his edge? Of course not, but his need to see her was getting the best of him. The door clicked open soundlessly, and he entered like smoke. He made his way cautiously to her room. He knew he shouldn't be here this late, but he had to make sure she was okay. She had gotten herself into several close calls, but none like this time. He thought he lost her without ever being man enough to have her.

He made it to her open bedroom door, and watched her. She was sleeping in next to nothing. Her hands splayed over her soft stomach. Ranger swallowed hard, and froze as a small soft moan escaped her mouth, "Ranger."

He stopped quickly preparing to make a swift exit, but then she let out a quiet sigh. He knew she was still half-asleep. He continued to watch her finding peace in the fact that she was safe. She was safe and dreaming of him. Her hand moved from her stomach further south. Her fingers crept into the cotton waist band of her black panties, and she began to touch herself in sleep.

Another soft moan, left her lips and her fingers began to move faster. Her moans became more frequent, as her fingers increased pace until a glorious moment where she found release, and a last sobbing moan escaped her lips, "Ric!!"

He stepped back slowly knowing that she was probably awake, but then a tiny snore came from her, and he knew she had just had the most perfect dream. He smiled to himself and left her apartment. Tomorrow was another day, and tomorrow he would be all about putting his plans into action. He would tell her, and he hoped that she could forgive him for his past discretion. He was in his Porsche moments later driving away.

And she was at the window smiling knowing that she got to him.


	2. Chapter 2

One week earlier~

She balanced the Pino's back as she opened Joe's door. She took a deep breath and entered.

"Hey cupcake," He said as he sorted the mail. He came over to her to take the pizza box off of her hands, "brace yourself."

Paw claps thundered down the hall, and she did just that. The next thing she knew was on her back covered in Chewbacca slime. She smiled in spite of herself. Joe helped her up and placed a chaste kiss on a dry part of her forehead.

The sat on the couch a half hour later gorged to the breaking point on pizza, "What is it Cupcake? Your message sounded urgent. What's going on?"

"Yea, I think we need to talk."

"That sounds pretty deep and mysterious. Is this an in the bedroom talk?"

"No, this is a I think we need to make a clean break Joe talk," she said a little less tactfully than she had hoped.

"Oh, I guess I kind of understand this. I mean we are good together Steph, but I am pretty sure your job is going to be the death of me. I can't tell you to quit, and I know you aren't ready to settle down. I love you I always will, but maybe it's time to realize that we need more." He was looking at her. His eyes had never said so much.

" I think that we love each other, but I also think that we are also in love with the idea of each other. We have always harbored a fascination, and I always wondered what it would be like to date you, but now dating you isn't enough, and I'm not ready for more. I am ready to fly, and do what I want for awhile." tears formed in her eyes. She had said what she needed to say, but why did it feel so rotten.

"It's okay Cupcake. We will still be friends. After all, now there's kids involved," he averted his gaze to Bob who was in the process of finishing off the pizza box. Bob looked back at the two and belched, and panted a few times.

"Steph?" Joe called her out of her reverie.

"Yea?" She answered back.

"Can you walk Bob before you go?" She groaned.

It was sundown when she buckled herself in. She watched his house disappear from her view.

PRESENT~

The morning after Ranger let himself in she sauntered into Rangeman. She was bound and determined to make this work out in her favor. She stopped short losing some of her bravado when she saw who she would be sharing the elevator with. She stepped in cautiously, and the doors slide shut in front of them.

"Babe."

"Ranger."

They stood in close proximity. Close enough at least to feel each others body heat. The ride up was agonizingly slow, and a few floors before their destination Stephanie realized that it was now or never. She turned on her heel, and stood on her tip-toes to reach his ear.

She whispered just as the doors were about to open, "did you enjoy the show last night, Ric?" She exited quickly losing some of the nerve she just had.

Shit! What had she done she thought to herself. Holy fuck, I just baited batman! People were killed for less than that. She sat at her desk all day working, and didn't get up until it was time to leave. Ass cramps, needing to pee, and eating be damned. She wasn't running the risk of bumping into him.

She switched off her computer, and had finally resolved that if she ran into him she would chalk the whole situation up to someone slipping her drugs in her drink, she had an aneurysm, or she had temporary insanity. But fortunately, she didn't seem him or anyone around as she left for the afternoon. She could just go home and wait for the world to end, or hell to freeze over before she went back.

She drove on autopilot, calculating how long it would take her to get changed, so she could grab dinner at her parents house tonight. She rushed upstairs, and unlocked her door. A set of hands grabbed her and covered her mouth keeping her from being able to scream.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Authors Note: My chapters are going to remain short because I am a big fat Ranger and Stephanie story tease... You know you love me!!**_

She awoke in a dimly lit room handcuffed to a metal folding chair. Her entire body ached, and the smell of blood was in the air. She knew something had happened to her, but the pain was radiating from every part of her body, so she didn't know what was hurt.

The room was a small one, terribly dark. Only a small shaft of light came through from a window that you couldn't see out of. Years of grime had formed over it. It smelled like damp must in the room. She rattled her hand cuffs as the door opened, but she knew they weren't going to budge. Time for plan B.

"I would advise against trying to break those," the entering figure said from the door way. The figure approached her slowly. She gasped when she saw who it was.

"B-but Y-your dead," she said her eyes opening to the size of Oreos, "I killed you."

"Yes, you little whore you did kill him, but not me, and I am the real threat."

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I am Alphonse Ramirez and you killed my brother, and now I will kill you," she froze after that.

"You should've just went with the champ. You would've been fine, but what I plan to do; what I have done is much worse than what he ever would've. And let me tell you this Miss Plum, you're a hard girl to get. With all those psycho's after you I didn't think I would ever get my shot, but finally you were all alone with your guard down, and now here I am." He approached her slowly cautiously sizing her up. He ran a finger over her shirtless chest, and pulled a branding iron from behind him. It glowed bright red and hot, and he pushed it into her shoulder.

"Scream for me Stephanie. It makes me so hot." And she screamed not being able to contain herself, as the initials "BR" were burned into her shoulder. She heard commotion before she passed out, and Alphonse slumped into her lap as a gurgling sound and a steady stream of warm blood fell from his mouth. Someone was behind her removing the cuffs, and she started to feel woozy.

"It will be alright Bombshell." someone from far far away said.

"Get a medic in here, she's falling unconscious," someone else said as she passed out.

She woke in the hospital, the pain was even more intense now than it had been. There were people all around her whispering.

"I think she is coming too," someone said, but Stephanie wasn't ready yet, so she closed her eyes and let the pain take her again.

**16 Hours Earlier**

Ranger popped the lock on her apartment, and the door swung open. He immediately regretted it when he saw the scene before him. Everything was trashed, furniture was tossed over, drawers and cabinets were ripped off of hinges, and most of her windows were broken. Someone had tagged her walls with blood red spray paint, "You're Next Murderous Bitch."

Ranger dialed Morelli first, "Yo."

"Ranger, what can I do for you?"

"Are you with her?" he asked.

"No, I haven't been with her since we broke up last week." Morelli said.

"Get over here with someone. We have a situation," he hung up a moment later.

He dialed again, " Activate Babe's tracker we have a situation," he immediately hung up and surveyed his surroundings. A call came back an hour and a half later.

"I said we had a situation, that means time is an issue."

"Sir, the tracker was destroyed, but we narrowed it down to a three block radius. A team is doing a building to building search," Tank explained.

"Keep me posted," he said clicking the phone off.

Another two hours passed by that time Ranger's patience had officially been tried to the breaking point. He had talked to Trenton's finest, and to Morelli. Just was Morelli was leaving, Ranger's phone rang.

"We have her, on our way to the hospital. She's pretty bad boss," one of Ranger's merrymen said.

He hung up and nodded to Morelli they both went for the door, "I'll call her parents. I'll see you over there," Morelli said as the door swung shut and they headed for the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

She awoke again after what had seemed like an eternity, this time it was night and Joe was holding her hand. She looked at him, and his eyes seemed hopeful, "Joe?"

"Cupcake, I'm so glad you're okay," a smile formed on his features.

"What happened to me," She remembered parts, but not the entire scene.

"You were kidnapped by Alphonse Ramirez, Benito's brother. He had you for just about sixteen hours, and he cut you up pretty bad. You lost a lot of blood, but the doctor fixed you up pretty good. He can't do anything for that though," he pointed to the bandaged part of my shoulder. She began to remember what Alphonse had done to her with the branding iron.

"Thank God that Ranger had that tracking device in your shoe." This should have relieved Stephanie, but something about this betrayal of sorts only pissed Stephanie off. And just in time for Ranger to come into the room.

"You put a tracker in my shoe? Have you lost your ever lovin' mind?" As soon as I am able to get out of bed, and get out of here I am going to beat you within three inches of your life, or I'll get one of the merry men to do it," as Stephanie said this her heart rate shot up fifteen beats per minute, and the nurse came rushing in to check on her.

"Is there a problem here?" she asked eying Ranger suspiciously.

"No," both Ranger and Stephanie said at the same time. At this point Joe got up, and headed for the door.

"I'll check in later Cupcake."

"The tracker is standard issue on my employees Babe. After what happened with Scrog," he cut himself off realizing her was in danger of hitting his word quota for the day.

"About the other night... I hope you know I was suffering from temporary insanity," she explained cautiously doing a terrible job at it.

"And I really am Batman," he retorted with a snort.

"Aneurysm?"He shook his head.

"Someone has been slipping me hallucinogens in my Tastykakes?"

"So you still find the idea of being sexually attracted to me terrifying?"

"No, but I won't be your whore Ranger. I know your not interested in anything but sex, and I want more. I can't just be in it for sex with you Ranger," she averted her gaze from him to something else, anything else, and it finally settled on the window where a bitter rain had started to fall.

"Now, isn't the time to discuss this," he said almost in a whisper.

"It's never a good time to discuss this relationship or whatever the fuck you want to call it. Just go Ranger. I just don't feel like playing this broken record anymore." She semi rolled over away from him dismissing him entirely. When she looked back, she was alone. Morelli came back in a few minutes later.

"Give him time Cupcake, he would be crazy to walk away from any kind of relationship with you," he took her hand.

"You're not mad?" she asked guiltily.

"Not exactly. I knew there were feelings between the two of you, and I heard about that night when we were broken up, but I figure you have enough sense not to cheat. I trusted you enough to know that, but I didn't like the way he looked at you. He is crazy about you Cupcake. You're bind not to see that. Besides, he lets you fly, and he doesn't want to change you," he explained.

With that she snorted, "Kinda fuckin' sounds like it most days."

"No, he just wants you to improve so you're safer, and we don't make these visits to the hospital quite a regular thing." Tears played at Steph's eyes, and Joe reached up to wipe them away.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"He cut you up pretty good Steph. I'm not going to lie, it was touch and go for the first few hours you were here. He got you good in the back almost done to your spine, but the doctor got you all fixed up," he explained, " I need to tell you something Cupcake."

"Sure anything Joe."

"I am moving on," he said quietly.

"I knew you would. It would be stupid of me to think you would just pine for me," Stephrubbed her hand over his five o'clock shadow, "What's her name?"

"Isabella. It's not serious or anything. We went on a couple of dates in the last two days, but I wanted you to hear it from me first not the Burg grapevine," he said rubbing her hand.

"I appreciate it, and I hope you are happy."

"I am, and glad you're safe," he leaned forward to kiss her forehead, and rubbed her hand until she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

A few agonizingly slow, and groggy days later Steph was released from the hospital. She had visitors left and right. Each of the Merry men came in to see her, Lula stopped several times with various fast foods.

Connie stopped in to check in for Vinnie saying, "Just because you got hurt doesn't mean you can ignore the growing stack of skips." She also brought donuts. Something about not wanting to be the messenger.

Her mother stopped in, "Elvira Mason's daughter Caroline never gets kidnapped. She works for the bank. She's never even got held up."

Joe dropped her off at the door, "You want me to come in with you Cupcake?"

"No, I'll be fine," she said as she fiddled with her keys.

"Are you sure? It isn't pretty. They really tore the place apart," he said as he grabbed the keys and opened her apartment door.

"I'll be OK," she entered the apartment, and much to her surprise the place looked better than it had before. Her windows had been replaced, and her apartment had been repainted. She walked around her apartment in awe. She had known somewhat what to expect, but she hadn't been expecting this at all.

Her furniture that she had been buying piece by piece had been replaced too with a beautiful new black suede couch. A gift from Ranger no doubt. She walked over to it, and sat down. It was nice she had to admit this, but it didn't feel like her old couch, and it was way too nice. What if she spilled on it she wondered to herself. She sat for a few more minutes contemplating before moving the couch out to the hallway. Now, she wouldn't have to worry about the couch anymore.

She hobbled into her room ready for a nice long nap. She pulled off her shirt, and as she did she felt a hand trace her stitches. She instantly knew this touch.

"I should have been there to stop this," Ranger said quietly.

"You can't save me from everything Batman," she said turning to him.

"I can try."

"What are you doing here?" She asked going over to her bed, but not sitting down. She had put some distance between them.

"We left a lot unsaid."

"Big surprise. Whenever we talk a lot goes unsaid," she huffed out.

"Babe, why is the new couch out in the hallway?" He gestured to outside of her room.

"Uh, I didn't want to spill anything on it," she said this in a "duh" way like he should have known that.

"So you moved it into the hall?"

"Yep, seemed like a good idea at the time. I need a new couch, but I don't want you to buy it for me. I need a cheap dependable couch. No strings attached," she explained.

"I'll have someone haul it out, and for the record... there were no strings," he said.

"What a second?! You changed the subject on me again," she came back over to him grabbing her shirt off the floor.

He did a heavy sigh, or the Ranger equivalent of a heavy sigh. It was more like a hard exhale, "Babe, like I explained before my lifestyle doesn't lend itself to relationships, that being said, we are already in one. I want more, but I can't protect you always. I made enemies, and sooner or later they will come for you."

"Don't give me that shit Ranger. What's one more crazy person coming after me?" She said hands on hips much like mothers do when they mean business.

"These people are efficient."

She huffed knowing that he couldn't be strayed, "I want to start training. I want to be good, and able to protect myself. I surrender myself to you," she said quietly.

"Bad idea Babe."

"You know exactly what I meant by that."

He kissed her roughly. Rough enough to bruise her lips, but there was a gentleness behind it. Enough for her to know he cared, and he had been scared for her.

"You're complicating things Ranger," she said breathlessly.

"You're life is one big complication Stephanie."

"Fuckin A," she said a smile hinted on her lips.

"I have some work for you at Range man until you're healed up. Training can start after that," then like smoke, the wind carried Batman away.

It left Stephanie even more confused about where they stood. The talk cleared things up some, but it really put them back to square one. The only thing that wasn't confusing was that kiss. It had electrified her, ignited her, and thoroughly pissed her off. She slipped her shirt back on, and grabbed her shoulder bag. She paused at her door, and looked back at her cookie jar. She grabbed her gun out of it, and checked it over for bullets. There were two left. That was enough for her to do something, and she hustled out the door.

She arrived at Range man nearly an hour later. She had turned around two times, and had nearly talked herself out of going there, but despite her better judgment she charged up to the fifth floor, and walked up behind Lester.

"Bombshell, what's up?" he asked slightly confused by her presence there.

"Is he here?" She asked hands on hips again giving him a look that would kill a man.

"Yea, he's in his apartment. I'll call him and tell him you're on your way up," he said as he picked up the phone.

She grabbed the phone from him, and replaced it on the receiver, "Don't bother."

She charged out of the room, and went straight to the elevator. She pressed seven hard enough to hurt her fingers, and the doors slid shut. When she arrived on seven she went over to his door, and preceded to pound on it.

He opened up the door looking slightly annoyed, "Babe?"

She pushed way in, and came to him, "Don't start something you aren't going to finish," she kissed him fiercely putting her all into it.


	6. Chapter 6

AUTHORS NOTE:

Sorry guys! Life happened, and not in a good way, and this got lost. I couldn't forget it though, and I know I could use more... How about you all? Can you handle more? Good, because things are about to get hot!

***SMUT WARNING*** Respect the smut, if you're too young to read it then don't ;)

I don't own anything in Stephanie Land. I just borrow the characters for your reading pleasure. I gain nothing from it other than a warm feeling inside

Ranger grabbed her roughly, and hauled her into him. Their bodies collided forcefully, and he kicked the door shut roughly. Their kiss was about passion, and their mouths fought for dominance. Finally, flushed and oxygen deprived they came up for air.

"Playing with fire Babe," Ranger said in pants.

"That's alright because I love the way it hurts," She pulled him back to her, and her hands pulled at his shirt. She couldn't get it untucked, and it was frustrating her. Ranger let out an almost chuckle, and she grabbed the neckline in both of her hands, and ripped the black t- shirt in half.

"Babe?"

"Hmm?" Stephanie was placing open mouth kisses on his neck trailing her tongue across the planes of mocha latte sinew.

"That was my favorite shirt," he almost sounded serious. She looked at the floor for a split second and grinned.

"Yea?"

"Yea it was," he groaned out as she reached his adams apple, and drug her teeth over it.

"Well, you'll get over it." She giggled as her mouth worked down his chest pausing at his perfect nipples.

"Hey Batman?" She took one of them into her mouth suckling it.

"Yea Babe?" he moaned out.

She nibbled on it a little. Almost roughly, but then she kissed it to soothe any aches, "Why does the batsuit have built in nipples?"

He groaned and pulled her back up, "Babe." With that he kissed her hungrily again grabbing her ass and lifting her up. She respounded by wrapping her legs around his waist, and grinding herself into him roughly. They both groaned at the contact. He moved with her to the wall slamming her into it. Things seemed to move in slow motion then. A scream erupted from Stephanies mouth, and tears fell from her face, but it didn't stop her. She kissed him again and silenced herself.

"Steph? What happened?" Ranger stopped her.

"My back. I guess it's still a little tender." She tried to kiss him again, but he let her down and distanced himself from her.

"Damnit! You know what? Finish something with me for once. If you stop now, I will go seduce one of the Merry Men so help me!" she screamed. The rhino was there in full force, and hormones surged through her body. The need for him was incredible.

"You wouldn't dare." He growled, and came back to her. This time despite the way he looked, dangerous, like a lion stalking its prey. His kiss was gentle and soft. She met his kiss with tenacity. They made their way to his room pulling off her clothes, and what was left of his. This time there was something different about the way they acted. Not like they were scratching an itch, or curiousity was getting the better of them, but like they were about to make love. Ranger layed her down gently on his bed minding her back, and kissed her neck. He had reached her clavicle when he felt it... Her shuddering from one hell of an orgasm.

"Babe, I haven't even touched you yet." He smiled. It was definetely a stroke to his ego.

"It's been awhile ok? So excuuuuse me," she gasped out. His mouth moved to the valley between her breasts placing chaste open mouthed kisses in a trail that would have led straight to her doo-dah. Now that she had come down from her high, she was beginning to feel self-concious. Her hands went to cover herself.

"No, I want to see you," he moved his mouth to her breast. He pressed more kisses around it spiraling kisses until he met her nipple, "Your breasts are perfect. I love your breasts." With that he took her nipple into his mouth laving it with his tongue. He grazed her with his teeth, and she shuddered again.

"Your body is incredible Stephanie. I love it," he continued to the other side showing her the same attention to the other side. He kissed more open mouthed kisses on her stomach.

"You know what else I love babe," he looked up at her as he made it to her moist center.

"What's that," she meant it to come out meek, but instead it came out husky. She was close again.

"I love you." A few moments after he said that he slid a finger into her, and she came again. This time with a loud moan.

"Ranger?"

"Yea babe"

"I need you...now"

He slid into her with that. Her eyes went wide open at that. He stilled after only inching his head in.

"Did you get bigger?" She looked down at their semi-joined bodies. He entered little by little until they were both sure he wasn't going in further. He stayed still for what seemed like centuries. Kissing her softly. She finally wrapped her legs around his hips and urged him to begin moving. He moved slowly. She tightened her legs around his hips giving him a hint that he should go faster. He did so, sliding in and out of her until he was a blur on top. She could feel the slow burn of the mother of all orgasms building. He reached between them, and rubbed her clit. He felt her muscles tighten him into a vice grip as she let out a wild scream.

"RIC!" she cried as she went over the edge dragging him with her. He braced himself on his elbows for a second and pulled out, then rolled them over, so she was on top. She laid her head on his chest.

"Still want to go find one of the Merry Men?" he grinned.

"What's a Merry Men?" She replied sleepily. He rubbed her back around her bandages until she fell asleep.

She awoke the next morning feeling the bed next to her. It was cold and empty. She got up slowly, and did her morning routine then went down to five.

"Hey guys," she smiled at Bobby and Lester.

"Bombshell," they replied in unison.

"Where's the bossman?" she entered pulling up a seat.

"He left for the Boston off at 5 this morning. I thought you knew."

"Oh yea, that's right. I can't believe I forgot that. Well, I should be headed to the office. Bail jumpers don't catch themselves." She exited the room, and hastily left the building. When she was a half a mile down the road she pulled over. A few seconds later, she was sobbing uncontrollably. An hour later, a calm had washed over her. This would be the last time Ranger would use her. She'd make damn sure of it.

Well, what'd ya think? Reviews are my crack, so please keep me supplied.


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